I hadn’t been home for a year, an excruciating long exhausting and fateful year. I had kept in touch, as I promised with Mum and Dad by email, and sent them postcards of San Francisco’s many and varied tourist attractions, a fictional narrative portraying my life in the states as a whirlwind of new adventures and … Continue reading The secondment
Ivy’s big day out
After rifling through her handbag for her compact mirror Ivy inspected her normally dull and tired blue eyes, even in the darkness she could see they were sparkling and full of life, glistening like precious jewels. She smiled and put her compact back, smiling again as she touched the plastic bag of clotted cream fudge, … Continue reading Ivy’s big day out
The invisible woman
When I woke up this morning I had disappeared. This might not be what you think, I hadn’t gone missing, I hadn’t been abducted. I was here in my bedroom; I could see the bed I climbed into last night and I could feel the now cold sheets. I still existed but I wasn’t here … Continue reading The invisible woman
Memories of taking tea with Grandma
It has been over ten years since my Grandma had passed away but despite the years having rolled by a cup of tea in a proper teacup still reminds me of her. The simple ritual of making a ‘pot of tea’ as she called it, calms me and always makes me smile. The warm memories … Continue reading Memories of taking tea with Grandma
All in the name of revenge
As she looked in the mirror her deadpan expression and lifeless reflection stared back. She had carefully applied her make-up to bring out the best of her features, but her troubled eyes could only see the foundation as a layer of anger, her rouge as rage and her red tinted lips smeared with bitterness as … Continue reading All in the name of revenge
Novel extract #1 – the first argument
I slammed the bedroom door and stood on the landing, unsure where to head to find some sanctuary, Vanessa would be downstairs, and Jim would need the bathroom to shower and get ready for work. With adrenaline still pumping through my veins I stomped down the stairs, I was not going to let anyone make … Continue reading Novel extract #1 – the first argument
A chance meeting?
I sigh dramatically as another flight status gets updated on the departures board to a flashing red DELAYED duplicating the many others. My internal flight back to Leeds was looking less and less likely as each minute slowly ticked by. Shoving the now well-read glossy magazine into my backpack I collected my case preparing … Continue reading A chance meeting?
My night with Billy Nicholls
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Pexels.com I had dreamt about this for most of my adult life, and now it had happened, I was laid in bed next to someone who I had convinced myself was the man of my dreams. My interest had started when I was a teenager and he was in his … Continue reading My night with Billy Nicholls
Should I end us?
I’d waited patiently for the best part of half an hour before his text arrived. Arriving enthusiastically early at our agreed usual rendezvous point, I’d found a quiet table. The place was a dive, but we had minimal chance of being seen together here. Grabbing a corner next to an old electric heater which whirred … Continue reading Should I end us?
After work drinks?
“Coming to the pub Lou?” I look up from the data I’m inputting and see Josh, one of the other new intake of school leavers, who’s perched on the end of my desk “A few of us are going out for a few drinks if you fancy?” “Errr.” I stall for time, thinking of an … Continue reading After work drinks?